Prison Life — Commissary (Store)

Each prison has a “store” system, or commissary, where inmates can purchase personal hygiene items, food, snacks, sodas, postage supplies, writing materials, vitamins and other personal items. The items that are sold in the commissary are determined by the Chief of Safety and Security, DOC policy, requests from the inmates and Correctional Industries staff. The items available for inmates to buy are limited by their classification level. Inmates in higher security housing units have fewer items from which to choose.

Inmates are allowed to make purchases from commissary on specifically assigned days by submitting an order form, similar to the way you would purchase items out of a catalog. Inmates with money in their account may purchase comfort items such as personal care items, food and beverages, while those without funds are limited to basic hygiene and correspondence items sold to them by creating a debt on their account. Staff and inmates who work for the Correctional Industries commissary process, pick, package and deliver orders to living units or other designated area, where inmates receive and sign for the items.

Commissary is operated by Correctional Industries